It happens
by butaneandthebeast
Summary: What happens when a person takes a leap, only to land in ways much different than expected?
1. The decision

Eyeshield 21 fanfic: HirumaxMamori

This is going to be my exercise in writing a short story, since I completely suck at this. Arigatou SakurenJIDreamer-san for helping point out some things that could be clarified.

She looked at her mobile for what was probably the fifth time in the past minute, and then berated herself. This was Hiruma she was talking about, not some normal-ish boyfriend who would bend over backwards for her. She sighed, thinking that it would sometimes be nice if Hiruma did sometimes respond the way a normal boyfriend would. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she instantly scolded herself again. It was how Hiruma was and always had been that had attracted her. She should never want to change that, ever. Somehow, when it came to Hiruma, she found berating her own self a very common and frequent practice.

Hiruma cursed as he struggled to find his mobile. He had heard it ring, but he had been in the middle of practice, and had had to wait till till the practice broke up before he could do anything about it. Digging, he found the mobile a good five minutes later.

"Fuck." He was meant to reply as to whether he would be able to meet her for dinner like they had planned. Lately, Hiruma's erratic schedule hadn't allowed much for any personal relationships. He typed out a brief text before getting changed as fast as he could. He knew Mamori deserved better than the way he treated her. He didn't do it on purpose, he was just so inbuilt in his ways that he found it hard to do anything other than that. He had been trying to change that though, for the sake of his girlfriend, his one home since he had started going out with her six years ago. He had been making a conscious effort not to swear in front of her as much, and to call her Mamori. Even though it was what he mentally called her and mentally thought of her, somehow Mamori seemed to be hard to roll off of his tongue, especially in front of her. Tonight, he would try and make those changes permanent. He stopped by his apartment quickly, picking up the small box and putting it deep in his pocket.


	2. Her Thoughts

Chapter 2: Her thoughts.

So. There went my short story, shot away by my head, and therefore evolved into a long story. More chapters forthcoming. Arigatou Gozaimasu for reading.

She saw him and instantly felt happier. Somehow, looking at him made her troubles float away. They seemed non-existent whenever she saw Hiruma. It was one of the reasons she loved him, one of the reasons she was now too spoilt for any other guy. She started remembering when she had fallen for him, but even though her mind went through a thousand different memories, she could not pinpoint a turning point. Instead, she started remembering how he had wormed his way into her heart. She remembered how she had joined the team in the beginning solely for the sake of protecting Sena. Sena, her baby substitute. She had abhorred Hiruma then, a concept that felt so alien to her now, impossible to the highest degree. Maybe it was when she realized that Hiruma used that little black book of blackmailing more for good purposes than bad, like keeping the dying club alive. Or maybe it was when he decided to go back into the battlefield with his broken arm, and arm that she knew was hurting so much that fainting from the intensity of the pain was a very imminent danger, and that anyone with a little less willpower would be unconscious. Maybe it was when she noticed that Hiruma's swear words lacked the menace, intent and feeling that people had when they used them. To him they were just filler words, somewhat like how a stutterer would pepper with ahhs and umms. Maybe it was when she realized that Hiruma's weapons rarely hurt, that he rarely aimed directly at a person. They were simply a way for him to show his emotions, somehow like a wallflower who expressed their emotions with their drawings. Maybe she had fallen for him since the first time she spoke to him, the only one standing up for what he mentally thought and believed in, without feeling the need to conform in order to get what he wanted. He thought the uniform was stupid, and so never wore it. He thought that some teachers did not earn the respect they asked for, and therefore never showed it. She was jerked out of her reverie when she realized that she was now staring at her boyfriends ever growing closer and smiling like an idiot.

As he got closer, she could see something was preoccupying his thoughts, but attributed it to the fact that he was quarterback, and thus faced an insane amount of responsibility. You were bound to bring back some level of anxiety from such a high stakes career. But she could not shake out the feeling that something was happening, that something momentous was going to turn her life upside down. She immediately thought of her nightmare. The one she always had, the one that accompanied her every time she realized that she was the only one in the relationship who said "I love you, " or "I miss you." The one where Hiruma left her for some reason or the other, where she wasn't good enough for him, nothing more than a waste of human space.


	3. Realizations showing up all at once

[A/N: This is the 3rd part of the 4-part story ^_^ I know I cut off abruptly, but I'm sort of OCD and need it to be in 4 chappies, and so this chappie was cut off at a weird part. I'm so sorry, but I am too tired and lazy to type out the rest of the story. Gomenne and Arigatou for reading this, and for commenting. I appreciate it much more than you realize ^_^.

Oh, and Hiroshima has its own traditional hotpot, too, called Dote Nabe, which features oysters cooked with miso. (. ) and Fugu Chiri Nabe is a puffer fish hot pot dish (. )]

She squelched the thoughts scurrying in her brain. There would be no more of that petty self-issue from her, she thought firmly. She started walking forwards to meet him instead of waiting outside the restaurant, but then suddenly thought of doing something different. Noting that he was still preoccupied, she turned around and ran till she reached the closest alleyway between the restaurant and the still approaching Hiruma, and waited patiently. As soon as Hiruma was close enough, she jumped out and tackled him, making the both of them crash to the ground.

Seeing the range of emotions flitting over Hiruma's face, from confusion to surprise to utter bemusement, Mamori was overcome with giggles. And her giggles being of the contagious sort that they were, pretty soon Hiruma was laughing too, try as he might not, as passers-by stared at the pair.

Mamori started getting up and brushing herself down simultaneously when she suddenly felt herself being lifted up by a pair of strong arms. "H-h-h-hiruma-kun wh—"

"Now it's my turn." Was all he said as he started marching down with Mamori perched on his shoulder like a heavy fish, putting her down only when they reached the restaurant's entrance. Mamori gathered herself, trying to look like she hadn't been carried virtually upside down the whole street. Hiruma offered her his arm, "Shall we?" She took it up with a grateful smile.

Inside Hiruma led her to the corner-most table. Mamori noted with trepidation that he had that same look on his face again.

"Ane—" He started, and then abruptly stopped. For the first time in his life, he was terrified of what he was actually doing. Sure, he'd been unsure before, but this... this was much different. These were two lives of two very very different people, and this would change all of it. And so he had another first: he chickened out.

"What is it?" She took his face in her eyes and forced him to look at her. "Tell me, please."

"I-It's just the stress from amefuto." He lied. He could see the hurt in her eyes, she thought he was keeping something away from her. He hated lying to her, she was the one he could tell everything to, and he hated seeing anything hurt her. Every time she had done something daring, his heart had been in his throat, ready to burst from the worry. And yet, today, he was the one causing the pain. "How about we leave that until after dinner? I'll tell you when we get home."

Home? Mamori stiffened. Mamori was still a med student doing her residency, and Hiruma had been living in the building that had been rented specifically for his team, so they had never lived together. But the idea thrilled her, made her happy. She smiled to herself as he played with her fingers. "Sure," she smiled at him angelically. The important thing was to let him know that she was there for him. Her mind started going through all the memories when Hiruma had confided in her, and she realized with a jolt that she was wrong to think that Hiruma never told her he loved her or that he missed her, because every time he confided in her, every time he spoke about his dreams and ambitions, every time he joked with her or kissed her, it was his way of telling her he loved her and missed her. He had always picked actions over words, and his relationship with her. She then realized another thing: subconsciously, she knew this all along. After all, if she didn't why would she, or any girl for that matter, go out with a guy for six whole years without even once thinking of something like cheating?

She was jerked out of her reverie when Hiruma gently nipped at her fingers. "Mamoriii, Mamoriii~"

"Err-Hai! Gomenne, I had remembered something," She realized that he had called her Mamori, something she loved. She saw his full-fledged grin and thought to herself how today had proved to be full of realizations.

"Well, now you need to remember that we need to actually order food before someone gets it for us." His smirk was so adorable to her, it took all her willpower not to squish him into the tightest hug she could manage.

"Hai, of course. So, what do you think? I haven't quite made up my mind."

"How about if we are a little adventurous and extravagant today?" He asked.

"Depends on what you have in mind..."

"Well, I keep on hearing talk from my sources—" Mamori giggled at the word sources, and Hiruma just smiled a little and went on "that this place has a good Fugu Chiri Nabe and Dote Nabe. Want to try those?"

"Well... it's a bit of an odd combination, to have both at once, but since it's the two of us, why not? Although... don't you think that both of those at once will be too much?"

"We can always take the leftovers home... and worst case scenario, we can always feed them to Cerberus. He'll be more than happy." Just as he was finishing his sentence, a waiter appeared to take their order. Hiruma looked at Mamori questioningly. Mamori nodded her approval, and Hiruma ordered. At a table close by, she could hear a guy, presumably the boyfriend, ordering everything without even waiting for his girlfriends response. That was another thing she loved about Hiruma. He actually cared and took into consideration what she thought about, unlike some of the other "normal" boyfriends.


	4. Chapter 4

A bit later, as they were finishing their meal, the waiter reappeared. "Dessert, sir?"

"No, thank you." Hiruma answered. Mamori raised her eyebrows. No dessert? This was new. Hiruma usually treated her to lots of sweets whenever they went out. "We're going to go someplace else." He grinned as he explained. Mamori got excited. Usually when Hiruma did something like this, it ended up being some of the best times in her life, and she unconsciously sped up her eating so they could leave faster.

"Hirumaaaaa, where are we going?" She tugged at his arm that was wound around her shoulders. Hiruma did not answer, instead, he came to a stop in front of a bakery. "CREAM PUFFS!" Mamori shrieked, and dived headlong into the shop. She ran back out, hugged Hiruma as tight as she could, and then ran back into the shop again. Hiruma's grin knew no bounds as he followed her in.

They were walking home, slowly due to their overfilled stomach, when they both felt something weird. First Mamori, then Hiruma. They stiffened, looking at each other. Without speaking a word, they both pelted back to Hiruma's house. They burst into the house, Mamori beelining for the toilet while Hiruma snatched up a bucket in the kitchen.

And then they both puked. And puked and puked. After about half an hour of solid vomiting, Hiruma resurfaced, swearing like a drunken sailor, threatening to bring about the deaths of the whole of the country. "Hiruma," Mamori called in between bouts of barfing, "Now is not the time. We need to get to the hospital."

"No need." Hiruma grunted, pulling out his black book. "I'll just call one."

The doctor had just left, and Mamori and Hiruma lay in bed exhausted and sick beyond words in the wee hours of morning. Hiruma looked over to Mamori, as she lay beside him, more angelic, more peaceful, than he had ever seen her before. He remembered how she had tried to comfort him even though she was just as, if not more, sick as him. She had stayed by his side, not only for the past six years, but before that as well, all through Deimon High. He felt as if he had aged a decade, and laughed at himself for the apprehensions he had had through out dinner. He would never find someone like Mamori, not even if he searched the length and breadth of the world, and he didn't even need to. Fate had placed her smack dab in front of him, and instead of grasping her with both hands, he was holding on to her pinky. Well no more. He was going to change all of that, make sure that he grasped her as hard as possible. He staggered out of bed, searching for his jacket pocket. He didn't care anymore if the circumstances were not romantic, not the way he had planned. All that mattered was Mamori.

Mamori snuggled into the face that was kissing her and calling her name. It was when something nibbled at her ear that she opened her eyes, squinting at Hiruma's face that hovered over her, the weak sunlight turning his hair into a makeshift halo.

"Mamori, wake up, I need to ask you something. Sit up, please." Hiruma's voice was husky and delicious as he kissed her forehead and helped her sit up and bed. "I'm sorry I woke you up, but I needed to ask you this right now."

"Can I go brush my teeth?"

"Can I just please ask the question first?" The notes of urgency and pleading in Hiruma's voice struck something in Mamori's heart, and she nodded her ok.

"Mamori, I love you." There he had said it, and it felt amazing, amazing that he said it, and amazing because he saw the pleasure that suffused Mamori's face. He had never ever seen her look that happy. And he had made her that happy. He felt as if he was about to burst with pride. "Mamori, I love you..." He said it again, saying it slowly, enunciating every syllable, "and..." he choked up. He couldn't finished the rest of the sentence. Instead, he placed the box in her hands.

Mamori opened the box, and tears started streaming down her face. Oh god, please don't let her say no, Hiruma desperately thought. For the longest time, Mamori just examined it. So he had even remembered that she did not like diamonds, liked blues and greens better. Finally, taking it out, she read the engraving. "My Protection," it read, "My Mamori." She held out the delicate gold ring that was designed to look like curling fronds of ivy and had sapphires and emeralds, as she offering it, along with her left hand, to Hiruma. "Well, sir," she asked with a teasing, beatific smile on her face, "aren't you going to put it on?"

Fin.


End file.
